THE WAR WITH JAPAN.

Bruce Herald, Volume II, Issue 41, 19 January 1865, Page 6

THE WAR WITH JAPAN.

According- to the Hoag Kong- papers, received by the last mail, there is every prospect of a speedy resumption of .hostilities in Japan. It is said that our de-*. - inand for the opening- of the inland sea has been rejected by the Prince of Ngato,. and that it is intended to enforce compli-. ance by means of a naval force. A fleet, of sixteen English, ten French, and fourDutch vessels were to leave Yokohama about the §4th jnst, and there seema little doubt as to the object of the expedition, An American frig-ate undertakes to watch over the safety of the foreign, residence at Yokohamo, while the fleet ia absent on its mission. It would thus ap-. pear that all the Western powers concurin the aggression about to be made on one of the great Daimois, The narrow straitwhich is now resolved 'to " open to our commerce" separates the island of ISfiphon from ICiosin and Sikok. The Prince of Ngato, whose territories command the entrance to the straits, \s resolved to dispute the passage, and is known to be fortifying the shores so strongly that it is doubted by naval men whether even the fleet about to sail would be strong enoug-h ta accomplish its object, and much bloodshed is inevitable. That these collisions with, the Daimios are hastening" a general attempt to close the country once more against foreigners, is quite understood by persons on the spot, and the Anglo-Chwi nese papers insists that there should be a force of 20,000 men ready to proceed to, Japan, in order to put our relations with that country " on a liberal footing." Even the lesson given at JCagosima seems to be utterly lost on the haughty chieftains* Certainly there is no via wediq for us to pursue; we must go forward, - or retreat altogether. The government of the country being quite powerless to secure theexecutian of our treaty, or to afford us redress for its enfraction, we have no choice kit to undertake ourselves the chas-* tisement of the offending Daimios.